


I feel hypnotized by the way you move

by luthorial



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, Sneaking Around, basically just waverly and nicole sneaking out, kind of high school i guess, my fave trope, willas in this but i hate her might kill her for the drama know this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 15:18:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11038863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luthorial/pseuds/luthorial
Summary: This isn't a story about the infamous Wynonna and Willa Earp, who run around Purgatory as if they own the place and once managed to drink Ward Earps entire liquor cabinet in two hours, but rather the story of Waverly, who sneaks out just as much as her sisters but for completely different reasons.A story of all the times where Waverly sneaks out to see Nicole, and Nicole sneaks in to see Waverly. And the Earp house shenanigans, in which Willa's a dick and Wynonna's a sweetie who doesn't know what she wants.





	I feel hypnotized by the way you move

**Author's Note:**

> O boy i love sneaking around its my favourite trope especially when combined with Oblivious Wynonna and family fun that doesnt include shooting your dad by accident and having intense PTSD from that for the rest of your life :) dont u just love AUs that ignore every bit of angst that shows throw at us. Also i changed the ages a bit so the ages at the start of this are Waverly is 14, Nicole is 15, Wynonna is 17, Willa is 18

Waverly lies in bed and listens to Willa and Wynonna tiptoe across the creaking floorboards from their shared bedroom to the top of the stairs, just outside of Waverly’s bedroom door. Their voices are low, and Waverly turns over quietly, only half awake, to point squinted eyes at the too-bright yellow light sneaking in from the hallway.

“Willa.” Wynonna’s hushed whisper is followed by a rustled sound of them coming to a halt. “We should wake Waves.”

Smiling, Waverly moves to lean on her elbows. Her bedroom window is slightly open and she can hear the soft night breeze blowing coolly through her navy curtains, in addition to the unmistakable thump of a party not too far away. Undoubtedly it belongs to one of Willa’s friends, the loud annoying bass that was bound to keep Waverly up, but if she was invited this time, well then it would be different.

“No way in hell.” Willa snaps, causing Wynonna to shush her loudly. “Waverly is too young. Everyone’s drinking.”

Waverly feels her heart sink.

“She’s _fourteen_." Wynonna argues back. “By the time I was fourteen, my body was 80% vodka.”

“Wyn,” Willa sighs, and Waverly flinches at the nickname that Wynonna _swears_ she hates when Waverly says it. “You’re not a good role model.”

Laughing, Wynonna creaks forwards down the stairs. “I guess you’re right.” She changes subject quickly, Waverly already forgotten. “Do you think the new kid’s gonna be there?”

Their voices fade as they creak down the stairs. “Xavier?” Willa’s voice is sharp. “Seems a bit too ‘my dad’s in the military’ for you Wynonna.”

“Hot though.” Waverly can practically see Wynonna’s shrug, her bottom lip jutting out and hands coming up in that typical ‘I don’t give a fuck’ gesture that she’s become infamous for.

That’s what Willa and Wynonna love to be. Delinquents. Indifferent enough to _not care._ Not about this stupid town or their education or their lives. They capture an air of teenage rebellion so perfectly that anyone would think they’re playing a part. They get suspended? Don’t care. Caught sneaking out? They don’t give a fuck. Drinking in class? Whatever.

Waverly’s starting to think that, due to some biological anomaly, somehow all the Earp common sense skipped over her older sisters and landed directly in her genepool.

It’s probably a good thing. She gets straight A’s.

Still, as the heavy door clicks quietly into its lock below her and she hears the unmistakable sound of high heels sneaking across their land towards the party, she can’t help but feel like she’s missing out on something. The thumping is still too loud for her to sleep so she lays back and looks at the cracks in her ceiling, at the dirt from where Wynonna had come in drunk and thrown her shoes at Waverly’s ceiling, at the dent in the wall by her bed from where Willa had chucked her phone directly at Waverly’s head.

Willa is the problem, Waverly supposes. She knows that blame is an endless cycle of toxicity, and forgiveness is the way forward into self-discovery or some bullshit, but she can’t help thinking that if Willa didn’t lead Wynonna astray then Wynonna’s future would be brighter.

And maybe having a bright future is ‘lame’ or whatever but of all people Wynonna deserves it.

Wynonna’s the only part of their family that Waverly is sure she loves and that scares her. Her head hurts from the noise of the party now and she sighs, rubbing her eyes and sitting up. Angrily, she checks the time. 1:41am. If the party’s going to keep her up anyway she may as well have gone.

Glancing at her open window, Waverly feels an idea pop into her head. Who says she _can’t_ sneak out. If her sisters do it then surely, she could too. Fumbling out of bed, she throws on a jumper and some jeans quietly, before slipping into her boots.

“World meet Waverly.” She mutters, slowly opening her door and creeping down the staircase. "Waverly meet world."

She can’t wait to see the look on Willa’s face.

*

The plan doesn’t go... to plan. Not that there was much of a plan to begin with. Which is strange, because Waverly’s a planner. She plans. She has organised colour coded folders for everything she studies and a timetable for her weekends.

Anyway, the plan, which mainly consisted of getting out of the house and joining her sisters in frowned upon but well respected teenage rebellion, didn’t go to plan. Waverly was lost. In a forest. Somewhere. And it was dark. A creeping kind of dark that slunk into corners and made shadows look like beasts in peripheral vision.

She can still hear the party, except now it’s less annoying and instead creepy. It emits a _thud thud thud_ in the darkness, like a sped-up heartbeat.

Maybe that is her heartbeat.

She can’t really tell at this point.

A strange feeling of hopelessness washes over her body and her throat feels thick with fear. Breathing is hard and Waverly feels as if she might have a panic attack, her knees weak and her hands shaking. The tree trunks collect moonlight like water in their crevices and shine a ghostly grey amongst the black leaves.

Somewhere close by, an owl hoots.

Stepping backwards, Waverly jumps for a second as a twig snaps under her feet, her heart stopping for a moment.

She feels as if she’s being watched.

“Hello.” She calls out, before she can stop herself. Her voice echoes off the gloomy trees, hollowing out the darkness. The hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

“The horror movies were right! Pretty girls really do shout hello in dark places.”

Waverly screams, grabbing a stick off the ground and turning to face the voice, arms raised. “Don’t come any closer!”

“Whoa there.” The voice is female, humour laced into the words. “I come in peace.”

“Who are you?” Waverly squints, she still can’t see anything, but her heart rate has calmed a little at the stranger’s voice. She feels less alone now.

“Wait a sec,” The stranger grunts, followed by the sound of a ring banging against something metal. There’s a click and then a stream of white light from a powerful officer’s torch blinds Waverly. “Ah ha!” The stranger grins, her face illuminated by the light, shadows dancing across her soft cheekbones and settling in her dimples. “I’m Nicole.” She holds out her hand.

Hesitantly, Waverly reaches out to shake it. “Nicole…?”

“Haught.” She smiles. “And you’re Waverly.”

Retracting her hand quickly, Waverly narrows her eyes. “How do you know that? Are you stalking me?”

“No.” Nicole blushes. “I was on my way home from the party when I heard a twig snap in the woods so I came to check it wasn’t a hurt deer or nothing.” She laughs, bringing up a hand to rub against the back of her neck. “I don’t trust all these drunk high school students.”

“Aren’t you a drunk high school student?” Waverly crosses her arms.

“I,” Nicole holds a finger up. “Am tipsy. And am not driving.”

“Fair point. How do you know my name?”

“It’s just never-ending questions with you isn’t it Waverly Earp.”

“You know my full name?!” Indignantly, Waverly raises an eyebrow.

“I do.” Nicole nods, trying to be serious but her slight smile and dazed look betraying her. “Waverly Earp, you got older sisters in the years above me. Met them back at the party. Older one’s a dick if you ask me.”

Waverly gapes.

Opening her mouth, Nicole blushes, realising what she just said. “No offence. No offence.” She stops. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Waverly smiles a little. “She can be a dick. So, you know me because of my sisters?”

“No I know you because of you. You’re super smart - you won the school history prize last month. Wore a light blue jumper as you went up to collect the prize. You had your hair up.” Nicole smiles softly, looking at Waverly with harmless brown eyes, almost black in the darkness. “Do you want to get out of here?”

Brow furrowed, Waverly takes a step back. “I’m not-”

“Not like that!” Nicole holds up her hands, blushing again. Slowly, she drags her hand across her face, sighing. “I mean do you want to get out of this forest. It’s a bit dark.”

Looking around, Waverly finds herself laughing. At the situation. At the darkness and its constant presence and the white barked trees, desperate to touch the moonlight. At the fact that she managed to get lost in the first place. At Nicole’s tipsy awkwardness and her miraculous appearance. “Okay then.” She giggles. “Let’s get out of here.”

*

They make their way out into the street, Nicole leading with her torch and Waverly following close behind. The streetlamps are so orange, making Nicole’s hair even more fiery and her skin seem smoother.

“Did you steal that torch?” Waverly asks, to break the silence. Maybe not the best question to lead with, but she goes with it.

“Why do you ask?” Nicole doesn’t look back, focused on wherever she’s leading them.

“It’s police issue.”

“You’re observant.” Nicole hums, silent for a second. “It’s my dad’s. He’s a policeman.”

“In Purgatory?” Waverly winces. She should really learn when to stop, take any sort of indication from Nicole’s silence and one word answers, but she can’t. She has no filter. Especially in the early morning when she’s running only off fumes.

Nicole doesn’t answer, keeps walking up the hill and stops when they get to a fence. “Here.” She says, climbing on top of it and holding out a hand for Waverly, who gladly takes it.

“Where are we going?” She puffs, heaving herself on top of the fence. The previous gloom of the night has cleared and the clouds have made was for a scattering of stars, decorating the sky like knocked over pots of glitter on a blackboard table. An early morning bite has driven its way into the crisp air and Waverly shivers as the moon reflects on her skin like a spotlight. 

“Here.” Nicole says again, but this time when Waverly looks up it’s a jacket being offered. “You’re cold.” The jacket is nice, warm and black with white cuffs and a white collar.

“You keep it.” Waverly pushes it away. “You’ll get cold.”

“No.” Nicole hops down the other side of the fence, chucking the jacket back up to Waverly. “Because I’m big and strong and the cold can’t hurt me.” She flexes, jokingly, a goofy grin on her face.

“If you insist, kind sir.” Waverly mocks, dipping her head in a fake bow before wrapping the jacket around herself. It’s warm and it smells like alcohol and coconut scented shampoo and Waverly beams into it.

“Not too long now.” Nicole assures, as she helps Waverly down. “Just at the top of this hill.”

“How do I know that you’re not a murderer?” Waverly teases. “You claim you go to my high school but I’ve never seen you before.”

“That’s because I’m like a ninja.” Nicole flashes her torch under her chin casting shadows up her face and laughing. Turning around, she changes the subject. “Race me?” She laughs, before running off at full speed.

“I don’t even know where we’re going!” Waverly yells, but she can feel a grin spreading across her face as she follows suit.

*

Nicole is sat down on a log by the time Waverly catches her. There’s a charred patch of ground in front of her which has clearly been used for many camping fires and a few more logs around that in a circle. Waverly plonks herself down on one, out of breath and pink in the cheeks, half from the cold half from the run. “So, this is where you were taking me.”

“Yep.” Nicole leans forwards, picking up some sticks and adjusting them in the charred patch. “I come here with my grandpa sometimes, he loves the view.”

Looking away from Nicole, Waverly gasps. Purgatory is stretched out in front of them like one of the maps in her house. The lights collect like stardust amongst the darkened streets and the occasional car passes by at full beam, weaving between the maze of houses. Waverly can see the party, the flashing lights and concentrated population of people and she’s surprised it hasn’t been shut down by the police yet.

Over the shadowed rooftops, beyond the collection of houses and Shorty’s and all the things that make up Purgatory, Waverly can see her house. She can just about make out her room, the window still open, and she imagines what daddy is doing right now, if Willa and Wynonna are back now.

She thinks about Wynonna getting back and not being able to confide in her like she does once Willa is asleep. How she tiptoes once again over to Waverly’s room and sits with her and talks about boys and drinking and how she’s scared. She talks about their mom a lot, Waverly loves listening to that.

She feels a twist of guilt in her stomach for sneaking away.

“It’s beautiful.” Waverly sighs. “But-”

“You need to go home now?” Nicole nods. “Do you want me to walk you?”

“Yes please.” Waverly nods. “You have the torch after all.”

“And there I thought,” Nicole stands up, grinning. “You liked me for my company.”

“Don’t get too full of yourself Haught.” Waverly laughs. “Or I won’t hang out with you again.”

“You want to hang out with me again?” Nicole teases, but there’s an earnest undertone to it. Something burning beneath the words that just comes through as longing. An ‘I’d prefer my life if you were in it’.

“Of course I do.” Waverly’s voice goes soft and she steps forward, hand coming up to graze Nicoles arm. Nicole looks like she’s about to combust, as if she’s been holding in a breath for three hundred years and she’s about to finally let it go. “You know a really great camping spot.”

Nicole shoves Waverly’s arm away, laughing in the broken moment. “Shut up Waverly Earp.”

*

When they finally get back to the Earp homestead, dawn is just cracking over the wooden beams of the house, shooting a dim orange light over the two of them. “Well this is me.” Waverly points over her shoulder at the door, awkwardness vibrating off her body.

Nicole chuckles. “I figured.”

“I have to go now.” A slight bit of regret is mixed into Waverly’s exhausted voice but she keeps her tone light. “Thanks for rescuing me.”

Joining her hands behind her back, Nicole beams. “Anything I can do for a damsel in distress.”

Waverly holds her hands to her heart. “My white knight, however can I repay you?”

Raising an eyebrow, Nicole smirks. She takes a step back. “Goodnight Waverly Earp. Or should I say good morning. No doubt I’ll be seeing more of you.”

“Goodbye Nicole.” Waverly smiles. “It really has been nice.”

“It has.” Nicole agrees, turning and walking away with a wave. “See you soon!”

“See you.” Waverly raises her hand to wave back but Nicole is already walking away. Looking down, she remembers something. “Nicole.” She shouts. “Your jacket!”

But Nicole is either too far away to hear her, or pretends not to. 

*

When Waverly sneaks upstairs to her bedroom, the door is ajar and she pushes it all the way open to find Wynonna passed out on her bed. Silently, she slips off her shoes and hangs up Nicole’s jacket, before swapping her jeans for pyjama bottoms and sliding in under the covers.

Her room is too light to sleep now, dawn highlighting the soft blue walls and Waverly feels exhaustion wash over her body. Maybe she can manage a nap.

Wynonna murmurs next to her. “Ffeet cold sis.”

“Sorry.” Waverly whispers, her sister smells like she’s been rotting in a liquor cabinet for sixteen days.

“Where the hell have you been?” Wynonna’s conscious enough to formulate proper sentences now, which means Waverly is in trouble.

“Out.” She answers, and she’s almost proud of herself for that one, in all of its cliched teenage rebellion indifference.

“We’re talking about this in the morning.” Wynonna declares, before rolling over. “Now sleep.”

Relaxing under her warm covers, and dreaming dreams of fiery hair under streetlamps and Purgatory from a birds-eye view, Waverly is more than happy to oblige.

**Author's Note:**

> gimme feedback if ya please


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